Chocolate Espresso Cupcake

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Its that time of year again, my mom's birthday.  This year she requested these.  I brought them to her party and they were gone before the birthday girl could even get one.  But she told me that everyone was raving about them.  My mom not getting one is just a good excuse for me to make these again. So good!

Happy Birthday Mamma!

Chocolate Espresso Cupcake - Adapted from The Baker Chick

Yield: 24 Cupcakes

Ingredients:
3/4 Cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
1 1/2 Cups Flour
1 1/2 Cups Sugar
1 1/2 Teaspoons Baking Soda
3/4 Teaspoon Baking Powder
3/4 Teaspoon Salt
2 Large Eggs - room temp
3/4 Cup Freshly Brewed Strong Coffee
3/4 Cup Buttermilk - I made my own buttermilk with vinegar and milk, it worked great!
3 Tablespoons Canola Oil
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 Tablespoon Instant Espresso Powder - I used 2 packets of Starbucks Cafe Via Blonde Roast

Espresso Buttercream
2 Sticks Unsalted Butter, softened
4 Cups Powdered Sugar
2 Tablespoons Instant Espresso Powder - I used 4 packets of Starbucks Cafe Via Blonde Roast

1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
2-6 Tablespoons of Milk or Cream

24 Chocolate Espresso Beans + some for snacking on (optional)


Cupcake Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners; set aside.
2. Sift together cocoa powder, flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl.
3. Stir the espresso powder into the hot coffee until dissolved. Let the coffee cool for at least 20 minutes.
4. Add the eggs into the bowl with the flour, along with the coffee/espresso mixture, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla, and mix until smooth, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of bowl to assure batter is well mixed.  The batter will be liquidy, not thick.
5. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups, filling each 2/3 full. Bake until tops spring back when touched, about 18 minutes, rotating pan once if needed. 
6. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely.

Frosting Directions:

1. In a small bowl, combine the espresso powder, vanilla and 1 tablespoon of milk or cream. Stir together until powder has dissolved.  I let this sit for about an hour and it made for a strong coffee flavor!
2. Put the softened butter into a large bowl, and using an electric mixer, beat the butter until pale and creamy.
3. Gradually add the powdered sugar and continue to beat until thick. Add the espresso/vanilla mixture and continue to beat frosting well.
4. Add a teaspoon at a time of milk/cream until frosting is creamy and pipe-able. 
5. Frost cupcakes as desired, and top with a chocolate covered espresso bean. 
6. Enjoy!!

1 Year Blogiversary & Mocha Cookies

So it might have seemed that I had fallen off the face of the planet, but I am back.  I started a new job and I am working a normal 40 hour week.  Its been hard getting into a routine where I have time to bake, but I am working it out.  In other exciting news, I just past my 1 year of blogging mark which is a big milestone.  I cant believe its been a year, and man oh man so much has changed.   I went from a student with a passion for baking to a hard working 9-5er with no time to bake.

Anywhoo.  Thanksgiving just past and we are rolling up on Christmas real fast.  This is when the big scramble for baking and gifts hits us like a ton of bricks.  There is never a enough time in the day to get everything done, but I think I discovered something that might help.  These cookies!!  These cookies have a rich chocolaty brownie flavor with espresso!  What more could u ask for.  This are great for a mid-day pick-me-up or perfect to add to your holiday cookie tray, just don't let the kids get to them!

Mocha Cookies - Adapted from Martha Stewart
Yield: 3 Dozen

Ingredients:
2 Cups Flour
1/2 Cup Cocoa Powder or Dark Special Cocoa
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda

1/2 Teaspoon Cinnamon (Optional)
2 Tablespoons Instant Espresso Powder (I used Starbucks VIA Packages)
1 Teaspoon Vanilla
3/4 Cup (1 1/2 sticks) Unsalted Butter, softened
1 Cup Packed Light-Brown Sugar
1/2 Cup Sugar
1 Egg, plus one egg yolk
1 Cup bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped (I used chocolate chips)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, salt, cinnamon, and baking soda; set aside. 
3. In a small bowl, stir together espresso powder, vanilla, and a tablespoon of water; set aside.
4. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars together on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add egg and yolk; mix until incorporated. 
5. Add espresso mixture; mix well, scraping down the sides of a bowl with a spatula. At low speed, add flour mixture in small batches, mixing until just combined. Remove bowl from mixer, and stir in chocolate chunks.
6. Using a cookie scoop, scoop heaping balls of dough and place 3 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Bake until cookies are set, about 18 minutes. Remove from oven; let cool completely before removing cookies.
7. Enjoy!!

Espresso Chocolate Chip Cookies

Espresso in a cookie is always a good idea!  Espresso in a chocolate chip cookies is a life changing idea!!  These cookies were so good, everybody loved them!  I made these to share with all the volunteers at a Working Wardrobes event that was this weekend.  I had to work, so I wasn't able to volunteer this year but I always make sure to make a treat to share with everyone.  The event is a long day and lots of work, so I figured everyone could use a little pick-me-up!!   Its hard to see the espresso in the cookies, but the taste is there.  They smell amazing too.  Its like drinking a latte and eating a cookie at the same time.  You MUST try these if you are a coffee lover...

Espresso Chocolate Chip Cookies - Adapted from  Foodnetwork.com

Yield: 2-3 Dozen

Ingredients
1/2 Cup (1 stick) Unsalted Butter, softened
1 Cup Light Brown Sugar
3 Tablespoons Sugar
1 Egg
2 Teaspoons Vanilla
1 3/4 Cups Flour
1/2 Teaspoon Baking Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
2 Teaspoons Instant Espresso Coffee Powder (I used Starbucks VIA, Caramel flavor)
1 1/2 Cups Semisweet Chocolate Chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 300.
2. Cream the butter with the sugars using an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy, approximately 30 seconds. Beat in the egg and the vanilla extract for another 30 seconds.
3. In a mixing bowl, sift together the dry ingredients and beat into the butter mixture at low speed for about 15 seconds. Stir in the espresso coffee powder and chocolate chips.
4. Using a 1-ounce scoop or a 2-tablespoon measure, drop cookie dough onto a prepared cookie sheet about 3 inches apart.  Bake for about 20 minutes or until lightly browned around the edges. Bake a little longer for a crispier cookie.
5. Serve warm with a glass of milk or Coffee! 
6. Enjoy!!

Mocha Cupcakes with Espresso Buttercream Frosting

Yummmy Mocha Cupcakes with Espresso Buttercream Frosting!

YUMMMMMMM!

(this is what happens when you forget the baking powder)

The original recipe is from Brown Eyed Baker.  I changed the recipe by adding more chocolate and some cinnamon!  This really is one of my favorite recipes!!!  I hope you enjoy this cupcake as much as i do!  


Mocha Cupcake:
1-1/3 Cups All-purpose flour
1/3 Cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
1 Teaspoon Baking Powder (i forgot this but they turned out ok, but DONT forget it.. WHOOPS)
½ Teaspoon Baking Soda
¼ Teaspoon Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Cinnamon (optional but delicious)
½ Cup Whole Milk (or whatever milk you normally buy)
½ Cup Strong Brewed Coffee
1½ Teaspoons Espresso Powder - (I used 1 package of Starbucks VIATM Ready Brew Italian Roast Coffee by Starbucks Coffee)
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
½ Cup (1 stick) Unsalted Butter, at room temperature
½ Cup Sugar
½ Cup Brown Sugar
1 Egg, at room temperature
1/4 Cup Dark Chocolate (melted and cooled)


Yield: about 18 cupcakes, or a lot of mini's!

1. Mix the espresso powder (Bold VIA) into the brewed coffee until dissolved; set aside to cool to room temperature.  Melt the chocolate in a heat proof container in the microwave for 1 minute, stir and heat for more time if needed.  Set aside and let cool.

2. Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in separate bowl.

3. Beat the butter and both sugars together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy (use a KitchenAid K45SS Classic 250-Watt 4-1/2-Quart Stand Mixer, White), about 2-3 minutes. Add the egg and beat until combined. 


4. In a measuring cup, combine the milk, brewed coffee mixture and vanilla. Slowly add the flour mixture, alternating with the coffee mixture, ending with the flour mixture.  Once everything is mixed together, add the cooled chocolate.  Mix a little more.

5. Divide the batter into a lined cupcake pan. Baking for 17-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting cupcakes.


Espresso Buttercream:
1 Cup Butter
2 Cups Powdered Sugar
1 1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla
1 Package of Starbucks VIA Instant Coffee

1. Mix the espresso powder into the vanilla until dissolved; set aside.

2. Using the whisk attachment of a stand mixer, whip the butter on medium-high speed for 5 minutes, stopping once to scrape the sides of the bowl. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the powdered sugar a little at a time, waiting until it is mostly incorporated before adding more. Once all of the powdered sugar has been added, scrape the sides of the bowl and increase the speed to medium-high and whip until fluffy, about a minute or two. 

3. Add the espresso and vanilla mixture and continue to mix at medium-high until it is completely incorporated, scraping the sides as necessary.

4. ENJOY!